What Will I Remember of 2008

This post is overdue by 2 weeks, nevertheless, here it goes...

Traveling always brought me endless pleasure and many life changing experiences which I always want to reminisce over and over. I’ve been to many new places in and out of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines during the past year. Most of it are worth to remember and brag about and some are also worth forgetting.

More than the beauty of what a place might offer are the experiences that you may want your memory to retain forever so you can tell your family, friends and would be children and grandchildren. So now, before amnesia sets in what 2008 brought that made it as my best traveling year (so far), I would like to chronicle here in my blog just some of it which are still vivid in my memory. The following are in random order as they are all memorable in their own right.

Bantayan Island, Cebu (January 2008)

I consider Bantayan as the “friendliest island” in the country as the people there include the word hospitable in their daily vocabulary. We arrive in that island with the weather not cooperating but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The owner of Jegra John’s Resort volunteered for me to use his Mitsubishi Adventure so me and my companion will not be drenched in rain. But the moment we set-off to explore the 3 towns in that island the weather instantly.

Ogtong Beach in Bantayan

Bus ride from Tacloban City, Leyte to Daraga, Albay (April 2008)

I never thought that I would ride the bus ride of my life in Tacloban on my way to Legaspi. Who would forget a 17-hour ride in a non-airconditioned bus coupled with delays and with different characters as my seatmates. I just hope that the national government make improvements and pave the whole stretch of the Leyte-Samar highway. It may sound squimish but I just don't like the idea that a less than 12-hour trip took 17 hours.

San Juanico Bridge connecting Leyte & Samar provinces

Near disaster in Hanoi, Vietnam (April 2008)

Me and my travel buddy in Vietnam were born and raised in the city which made us familiar with the tricks & trade of “bad” people. Because of that near-pickpocket experience, from then on I always see to it that I have a small padlock for my backpack. One of my greatest fear while traveling is to loose or misplace your passport, money and credit cards that is why I am always on-guard.

Halong Bay in Vietnam

Couchsurfing friends in Bali & Jakarta (August 2008)

I will feature in one of my future posts why I think that founder of couchsurfing.com is a genius. Avid travelers will benefit from this idea. I made several friends during my trip in the "island of the gods" and in Jakarta. Haru, Sita, Benny, Kristin and Anita made my Indonesia trip extra super special. No professional tourguide can replace them as they all showed me and my buddy the true side of Bali and Jakarta.

Bali

Good and bad taxi drivers

Taxi drivers can either make your trip pleasant or they can be your worst nightmare. All of us who use this kind of transportation know what I mean so I need not explain any further. In my opinion, the best taxi drivers in this country are all in Baguio City and Davao City. It is disappointing to know that the bad taxi drivers are lurking almost anywhere outside of those cities.

Meeting new friends in General Santos City (November 2008)

I didn't expect that buying a blogger-themed T-shirt would come with a friend. I am really fortunate to meet Rosilie and her husband when I went to Gensan. I seemed that I am one of their relative because that is the kind of hospitality they gave me during my brief stay.

Free travels (last quarter of 2008)

Never in my wildest dream would I expect an airline to giveaway 100% FREE tickets to anyone who booked a flight last September 18. Up to now I am still grateful to Cebu Pacific Air because I, my family and several friends went to Cebu, Butuan, Davao, Legaspi, General Santos, Iloilo and Roxas City for FREE!

And now, I only pray that 2009 will bring me to more new places and meet new friends!